Iceless food or like cooler



y no. ADAMS. ICELESS FOOD 0R LIKE COLER. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 20|1919.

Patentd Mai'. 22 1921 III terior otmy improved y Fig. 2 is a perspective`view oi my UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..V

FRANK 0.,.ADAMS, OFSPOKANE, WASHINGTON, ASIGNOR TO SUCCESS CONCRETENO-IGE FOOD COOLER CO., OF SPOKANE, WASHINGTON.

ICELESS FOOD OR LIKE COOLER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 22, 1921.

Application filed. October 2D, 1919. Serial No. 331,917.

T0 all whom it may concer/a:

Be it known that I, FRANK O. Ansi/11s, a citizen oit' the United States,residing in Spokane, in the county of Spokane and State ot Washington,and useful improvements in Iceless Food or like Coolers, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in food or like coolers ot' thatclass wherein the lowering of the temperature therein is accomplished byevaporation resulting v.troni the moistening of the walls o1' thecooler. y

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a device of the classdescribed wherein the water storage means feeding means are selfcontained with respect to the cooler as a whole.

Another object of the invention is to providev a device of the classdescribed wherein means are provided for the assured meistening of theentire area et' the side walls. The novel means for accomplishing thisconsists in the provision ot' a water reservoir post tionedapproximately at the top oit the walls of the cooler and means wherebywater contained in the reservoir is' fed downwardly into said walls.

Another object is to provide a device ci the class described wherein itis unnecessary to impregnate the bottomorwalls othe cooler with awaterproofing substance, thereby evading the possibility of anunpleasant or unhealthful odor within the cooler. p

A still further object-is to provide a device of the class describedwherein the cover comprises an independent cooling unit' Still furtherobjects and features of the invention will be described in connectionwith the accompanying drawings and will be more particularly pointedout` in and by the appended claims.

Figure 1 is a perspective` view ci? the excooler. y

improved cooler' cover, showing portions thereof broken awayu toillustrate details of construction. J

Fig. 3 is a plan view lof the cooler with the cover removed. y

Fig. 4c isa section online fis-1ct Fig. 8. As illustrated, 10.designates a relatively shallow pan consisting of bottom `11, sidewalls 12' and end walls 13 and 111. Pan 10 is have invented certain new`and the water ing wall 19 is cut away as at 25 to facilitate theconstructed of non-porous material such as metal, which may be proofedagainst the action of water. Snugly fitting within pan 10 is the coolingreceptacle indicated generally at 15. 'Receptacle 15 consists of bottom16, side walls17 and end walls 18 and 19. To reduce the weight ci theentire receptacle 15 and yet allow the corners to retain sufficientstrength, the walls 17, 18 and 19 are paneled as at 20. Receptacle 15 isconstructed of concrete or like porous material and the mixture of thismaterial is such that the walls 17, 18

`and 19 will readily absorb and conduct water throughout their extent bycapillary attraction.

I provide a reservoir 21 positioned around the top edge of receptacle 15and preferably integral with and forming a part of the side and endwalls 17, 18 and 19. Reservoir 21 is preferably constructed by theaddition of an upwardly turned flange 22 extending completely around thewalls 17, 18 and 19..

Flange 22 forms one wallof reservoir 21 y while the completing wall isformed by the portion 28 of the upper edges of walls 17, 18 and 19.Flange 22 and portion 28 are construeted of concrete or like porousmaterial identicalwith that comprising the rest of the receptacle 15with the exception that the mii;- ture of material making up saidflange22 and portion 23 is of such a nature as torender the walls oi5reservoir 21 of a lower degree of porosity than that of the remainingportion oi walls 17, 18 andi19.` The purpose of' this variance in degreeof porosity will be hereinafter described.

A filler, overflow and water level indicating pocket is formed betweenpan 10 and wall `19 by pressing end wall 14 outwardly from end wall 19at 28. A communicating passage between the interior ci? receptacle 15and pocket 28 provided by corout end wall 19 as at 211:` (Fig. l). End

use oit pocket 28 as a filler. The upper edge et wall 141, where it'forms the pocket 23', is turned down to 'lorm a lip 26 for a purpose tobe `hereinafter described.

A! drainage port 27 leads outwardly from pocket 23 and is normallyclosed by cork or like closure means 28.

I have generally indicated the cover of my cooling device at 29. Cover29 consistsof a panfBO constructed ot non-porous material such as metal.Running lengthwise of pan 30 and secured thereto by rivets 31, is thechannel member 32 which strengthens the pan 30 and serves asreinforcement for the porous material 33, such as concrete, with whichpan 30 is illed. A handle 34C is secured to pan 30 and member 32 byrivets 3i. Material 33 is poured into pan 30 and allowed to set, theoverturned edges 35 ot pan 30 serving to protect the edges of material33 and also maintain it within the pan.

By making the corners 15 of the receptacle 15 slightly lower than therest of the receptacle, I provide a preferred means whereby there willbe an air gap 29 at intervals between the upper edges of the receptacle15 and the bottom of cover 29 so that air may circulate through thecooler. This insures the maintenance of fresh, clean air within thecooler, thereby rendering it sanitary and also hastening and thenmaintaining the lowered temperature within the cooler. In first chargingthe cooler, I fill the reservoir 21 with water.

I may also aid in the initial charging by pouring water into chamber 39,formed by bottom 16 and the lower portions of walls 17, 18 and 19. ThisFilling ispreferably done through the pocket 23. The water will thenfrom chamber 39 through the walls 17, 18 and 19 by capillary attraction,and will pass downwardly through the same walls from the reservoir 21 bycapillary attraction aided greatly by gravity. Thus the entire area,evento the topmost'edges, will be quickly and thoroughly moistened withwater, the subsequent evaporation of which willV cool the interior ofreceptacle 15. After the initial charging it is only necessary to lillreservoir 21 about once every twenty-four hours, enough water findingits way from reservoir 21 to chamber 39 to maintain the water level inlchamber 39 practically constant.

At this point wish to emphasize the fact that the filling of reservoir21 at proper intervals and the moistening of cover 29 is the onlyattention that the attendant need give the cooler to maintain it in astate of maximum eliiciency. It will be seen that this advantage isgained by the self contained features whereby the water storage andwater feeding means for the receptacle 15 are one l*with the cooleritself.

1hepo'rosity of flanges 22 and portionv 23 is such that theyserve toregulate the feeding of water into the walls 17 liust the right in aneven, moist condition. It will be seen that were the degree of porosityof the reservoir 21the same as that of the remaining portion of thewalls 17,18 and 19, the water would pass from reservoir 21 downwardlythrough thefwalls 17, 18 and 19 so rapidly that the water in reservoir21 would soon be be drawn upwardlv.

exhausted, with a resultant hastened drying of the said walls 17, 18 and19, thereby greatly impairing the sustained cooling qualities andgeneral efliciency of the cooler.

A cooler to be of' any utility must have such height as would precludethe use of a material having such would allow capillary attraction todraw water to its upmost edges in suf'licient quantities to perform itscooling functions. It will be seen that in mj devi ce gravity assiststhe passage of water downwardly from the reservoir 21 and insures themoistening ot the entire surface ot the cooler. Furthermore, the waterin chamber 39 is constantly assisting the moistening action throughoutthe lower portion ot the cooler and it, for any reason, reservoir 21becomes exhausted there is a supply of water in chamber 39 sulicient tomaintain moistures in the walls 17 18 and 19 to cause continuedevaporation for a reasonable time, thereby saving the .ood contents ofthe cooler trom spoiling` until the reservoir 21 may be refilled.

The relative porosity et the walls of the reservoir 21 and the walls ofthe receptacle 15 is such that, in actual practice, reservoir 21 need befilled but about once every twentytour hours to maintain the walls 17.1S and 19 evenly moistened and the water level 40 practically constant,thereby gaining maximum efiiciency.

Inasmuch as pan 10 is composed of a nonporous material and the waterline can never come above the top edge of pan 10 due to passage 24 andpocket 23', it will be seen that it is unnecessary to water proof theinterior of chamber 39. resulting in a saving of labor and eliminatingthe possibility of odor common to water proofing material. Pocket 23will serve as an overfiow should the water level 40 rise within thereceptacle 15 to a suflicient height to fill pocket 23. Pocket 23 alsoserves as a water level indicater so that the level within receptacle 15may be ascertained at all times without raising the cover 29. Shouldthis level rise too high, the water will first drip over lip 26 to warnthe attendant and if this warning is not heeded the water will overHowthrough pocket 23 and prevent the water level 4;() from rising to orabove the toed support '36, to be described.

ork or like closure means 28 may be removed should it be desired tolower the water level or drain the chamber 39.

A food or like support 36, made of nonporous material such as metal, ispositioned within the receptacle 15 and is supported above and`substantially parallel with the bottom 16 by means of legs 37. Legs 37are of such a height as will maintain support 36 above the maximum waterlevel. Support 36 is provided with aperture 38 approximately in thecenter thereof to permit the a degree of porosity as insertion of afinger Jr`or the purpose or litting said support out ot receptacle 15.

l gain results by the use of my improved cover never before gained to myknowledge. Other types of coolers of this class either depend on drawingWater from the sides oi the receptacle by actual Contact therewith andthe consequent capillary attraction, or else simply use the cover as aclosure, not attempting to utilize it as a cooling,` agent. ln the iirstcase, the method precludes the allowance of a loosely fitting cover andconsequent circulation through the cooler. Fur thermore, it has beenshown that it is practically impossible to depend en capillaryattraction to draw Water in any quantity to the top edges of thereceptacle and hence no appreciable amount of water can be drawn fromthe side Walls into the cover. In the second case, a cooling area ofgenerous proportions has been overlooked.

ln practice, l pour Water over the entire surface of the porous material33, compris ing the major portion of the cover 29 and find that thiswill maintain such material in a moist state during the entire periodbetween the 'charging and recharging oi the reservoir 2l. The resultingevaporation gives ine a cooling unit independent of the water supplycarried in reservoir 21 and chamber 39 and serves to greatly increasethe eiliciency of the cooler' as a Whole.

l Wish to state that the cooling principle as applied to theintroduction of Water through the top of the coolers Walls may beapplied to food or like coolers irrespective or sine, even to entirerooms used or storing meats and the like.

l/lfhile I have herein shown and described one specific embodiment of myinvention, l

receptacle, a

do not Wish to be limited thereto except Jfor such limitations as theclaims may import.

l claim:

l. ln a food or like cooler, a receptacle of concrete or like porousmaterial, a reservoir formed integral with the upper Walls of saidreceptacle, said reservoir being con sti-acted of a material of arelatively low degree of porosity and said Walls being constructed of amaterial of a relatively high degree of porosity whereby water may passby capillary attraction from said reservoir into said side Walls andwhereby such passage is restricted.

\ 2. In a 'food or like cooler, a receptacle of porous material, a Waterchamber Within said receptacle, a .Water reservoir positionedapproximately at the top of the Walls of said cover for said receptacle,said cover comprising a pan of non-porous material, concrete or likeporous material substantially :Filling said pan, and overturned edges onsaid pan extending partially over said porous material.

8. In a food or like cooler, a receptacle of porous material, a waterchamberV Within said receptacle, a Water reservoir positionedapproximately at the top of Walls or said receptacle, a cover Jfor saidreceptacle, said cover comprising a pan oi non-porous materi al, achannel member extending across and secured to said pan, a handlesecured to said pan, and porous material substantially lling said pan.

In testimony whereof, I hereby aiiix my signature in the presence oftivo Witnesses.

` FRANK O. ADAMS. llVitnesses JAMES B. GRAY, H. E. SCANTLEBURY.

